Marzouki meets with Abbas

Tunisian Interim President Moncef Marzouki met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday, April 28th at the Presidential Palace in Carthage, Tunis. The two leaders discussed the situation in Palestine and the domestic and international challenges the Palestinian people are facing. According to a communique issued by the Tunisian Presidency, Abbas announced that Tunisia can play an important diplomatic role on the international stage in working to release Palestinian prisoners from Israel. According to Abbes, Tunisia gained an important role on the international stage following the revolution. Additionally, the two presidents discussed the internal situation in Palestine and the conflict between the two main Palestinian political parties of Fatah and Hamas. The two parties agreed that the Qatar agreement must be put into action in order to end the national divide and serve the best interests of the country and its people. Abbas said that the Palestinian cause is a concern for all Tunisians, given the long history of solidarity between the two peoples. He announced that a parcel of land in Ramallah would be allocated for the building of a new Tunisian Embassy, as the current location of the Embassy is temporary. The meeting was attended by the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafik Abdessalem and a Palestinian delegation. The visit is scheduled to last four days, during which time Abbas will be received by Tunisian Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and the Head of the National Constituent Assembly Mustapha Ben Jaafar.